The Department of Digital Systems of the University of Thessaly participates as a partner in the INVEST project, part of the 41 European Universities, inter-university campuses where students and researchers will share common courses, joint undergraduate and postgraduate courses. An initiative launched by the European Commission to promote cooperation between Higher Education Institutions in the European Union (EU).
This project is an interstate alliance, emphasizing the European values, identity, and competitiveness of European higher education. The INVEST consortium is expected to become a university with five campuses - a university consortium, which benefits from common goals, without losing its identity.
In the context of the planned activities of the project, the Scientific commissioner of the INVEST Project, Professor of the Department of Digital Systems Mr. Samaras Nikolaos, and the members of the main Research team of INVEST, Dr. Kokkinos Konstantinos and Dr. Iatrellis Homer met with the owner and president Mr. Andreas Stergiou of a business consulting company namely ‘Epixeirein’. 
The main topic of discussion was the incorporation of the ‘Living Labs’ applied research projects in the framework of the INVEST project, so that through co-creating and co-designing, researchers, entrepreneurs, and society can develop a platform of cooperation among the University the private and public bodies, providing research opportunities, knowledge, and development of innovative technologies. The first ‘Living Lab’ developed is entitled RES-Q (RESCUE) and aims to study and develop an IT solution for more effective crisis management and response to the risks of natural and man-made disasters. This meeting was an opportunity for a fruitful dialogue and a first contact between the two parties with the prospect of leading to new future collaborations.
 

Translated and curated by Andriana Gerondis